The Story of Adam and Eve's Ascension and Fall: How We Came to Be by ( GOLU KUMAR)

 MAN AND THE ENVIRONMENT

God created the world with ten Sayings, though a single Saying would have sufficed. God wanted to show how harsh the punishment will be for anyone who destroys a world with as many as ten Sayings, and how generous the prize will be for those who maintain a world created with as many as ten Sayings. [1]

The planet was built for man, even if he was the last of the species to arrive. This was planned. He was supposed to arrive to find everything ready for him.
God was the gracious host who served delectable fare. He then arranged the table and escorted His visitor to his seat. At the same time, man's late arrival on Earth serves as a reminder to be humble. He should avoid being arrogant, lest he provokes the rejoinder that the gnat is older than he is. [2]

Man's superiority over other species is evident in the manner in which he was created, which is unlike theirs. He is the only one who was made by God's hand. [3] The remainder was inspired by God's word. Man's body is a microcosm, a miniature version of the entire universe, and the world, in turn, is a reflex of man. His hair represents the earth's woodlands, his tears represent a river, and his mouth represents the sea. [4] Furthermore, the universe resembles his eyeball: the water that encircles the earth resembles the white of his eye. The iris represents the dry country, the pupil represents Jerusalem, and the Temple represents the image reflected in the pupil of the eye. [5] But man is more than a reflection of his environment. Within himself, he combines both celestial and earthly qualities. In four, he resembles angels, and in four, he resembles monsters. His oratory prowess, discriminating intellect, upright demeanor, and an angelic glint in his eye—all of these qualities combine to make him an angel. On the other hand, like the beast of the field, he eats and drinks secreted waste matter in his body, reproduces his kind, and dies. As a result, before the creation of man, God declared: "The celestials are not propagated, but they are immortal; the beings on earth are propagated, but they are mortal."They do, however, die. I will make man the union of the two so that when he sins when he acts like a beast, death will come upon him; but if he does not sin, he will live forever." [6] God then instructed all beings in heaven and on earth to participate in the creation of man, and He did so. As a result, they will all love man, and if he sins, they will be concerned about his survival. [7]

The entire universe was made for the righteous, God-fearing man, whom Israel produces under the guidance of the law of God revealed to him. [8] As a result, Israel was given special consideration at the moment man was created. If Israel ever needed their support in the course of its history, all other species were told to modify their nature. The sun and the moon were told to stand still before Joshua, the ravens to feed Elijah, the fire to spare the three youths in the furnace, the lion to not harm Daniel, the fish to spit out Jonah, and the skies to open before Ezekiel. [9]

God, in His modesty, conferred with the angels before the creation of the world about His intention to create man. "I shall create the globe for the sake of Israel," he declared. As I will divide light and darkness, so will I do for Israel in Egypt in the future—thick darkness will cover the land, and the children of Israel will have light in their dwellings; as I will divide the waters beneath the firmament from the waters above the firmament, so will I do for Israel in Egypt in the future—thick darkness will cover the land, and the children of Israel will have light in their dwellings; as I will divide the waters under the firmament from the waters above the firmament, so I will do for Israel—I will divide the waters for him when he crosses the Red Sea; as I shall create plants on the third day, so I will do for Israel—I will bring forth manna for him in the wilderness; as I shall create luminaries to separate dathe y from the night, so I will do for Israel—I will go before him by day in a pillar of cloud and by night in a pillar of fire; as I shall create the fowl of the air and the fishes of. I will do the same for Israel—I will give him the Torah, the Tree of Life." The angels were astounded that these people of Israel should be lavished with so much affection, and God told them: "I will create the heavens and spread them out on the first day of creation, and Israel will build the Tabernacle as the dwelling-place of My glory. I'll make a distinction between the earthy and celestial waters on the second day. As a result, he will drape a curtain over the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle. I will cause the soil to produce grass and herb on the third day, and he will consume herbs on the first night of the Passover and bake showbread for Me by My orders. I'll manufacture the luminaries on the fourth day, and he'll construct a golden candlestick for Me on the fifth. I'll make the birds on the fifth day, and he'll make the cherubim with outstretched wings. I will create man on the sixth day, and Israel will appoint a high priest from Aaron's sons to serve Me." [10]

As a result, the entire creation was conditional. "If Israel accepts the Torah, you will continue and endure; else, I will put everything back into chaos," God stated to the things He created in the first six days. The entire world was thus kept in suspense and terror until the day of the revelation on Sinai, when Israel received and accepted the Torah, fulfilling God's condition set forth before the cosmos was created. [11]

THE CREATION OF MAN AND THE ANGELS

God, in His wisdom, decided to create man and sought an opinion from all around Him before carrying out His plan—an example to man, no matter how great or renowned, not to dismiss the advice of the poor and lowly. God first addressed heaven and earth, then all of His other creations, and last the angels.

The angels didn't all agree on everything. The Angel of Love was in favor of man's creation because he would be affectionate and loving; however, the Angel of Truth was against it since he would be full of lies. While the Angel of Justice backed it because he would uphold the law, the Angel of Peace opposed it because he would be a thorn in the side.

God hurled the Angel of Truth down from heaven to earth to invalidate his protest, and when the others shouted out in outrage at their companion's degradation, He responded, "Truth will spring again out of the earth."

If the angels had known the whole truth about man, their protests would have been considerably greater. God had only told them about the righteous, and he had kept hidden from them the fact that there would be reprobates among men. Even though they only understood half the truth, the angels were moved to cry out, "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?" And the man's son, that thou comest to see him?" "What were the fowl of the air and the fish of the sea created for?" God replied. What good is a larder full of delectable treats if no one is around to appreciate them?" "O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is Thy name throughout the land!" said the angels. Do what you think is right in Thy eyes." [12]

Several angels were killed as a result of their protest.
When God convened the band led by the archangel Michael and sought their thoughts on man's creation, they scornfully replied: "What is man, that Thou shouldest be concerned about him? What about the son of man, that Thou comest to see him?" God then stretched out His little finger, and all but their chief Michael were destroyed by fire. The band led by the archangel Gabriel suffered the same fate; he was the only one who was saved from annihilation.

The archangel Labbiel led the third band that was consulted. He cautioned his troops, having been taught by the terrible fate of his forefathers: "You have witnessed the calamity that befell the angels who asked, "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?" Let us take care not to follow in their footsteps, lest we face the same fate. God, on the other hand, will not deviate from His plan in the end. As a result, we should comply with His wishes." As a result, you have been warned. Angels chimed up: "It is good that You, Lord of the World, have considered creating man. Create him according to your wishes. And as for us, we'll serve as his servants and ministers, divulging all of our secrets to him."
Because his company of angels had been rescued by his wise counsel, God changed Labbiel's name to Raphael, the Rescuer. He was named the Angel of Healing, and he holds all of the celestial cures, as well as the types of medical remedies used on Earth, in his possession. [12]

ADAM'S CREATIVE PROCESS

"Go bring Me dust from the four corners of the world, and I will create man with it," God said to Gabriel when the angels finally agreed to the creation of man. Gabriel went forth to execute the Lord's will, but the earth repelled him and refused to allow him to gather dust from it. "Why, O Earth, dost thou does not hearken unto the voice of the Lord, who created thee upon the oceans without props or pillars?" Gabriel remonstrated. The earth responded by saying: "I am destined to become curs and to be cursed through man, and no one else will ever accomplish it unless God Himself takes the dust from me."
When God heard this, He put out His hand, took some of the ground's dust, and used it to make the first man. [14] Dust was collected from the four corners of the globe for a specific purpose so that if a man from the east died in the west, he would be remembered. The earth should not dare to refuse to receive the deceased and tell him to return to where he came from, whether he be a man from the west in the east or a guy from the east in the west. Wherever a man dies and is buried, he will return to the ground from where he came. The dust was also several colors—red, black, white, and green—red for blood, black for bowels, white for bones and veins, and green for pale skin.

The Torah intervened at this early stage. She made a prayer to God: "Lord of the universe! The world is yours, and you can do with it whatever pleases you. However, the man Thou art now creating will only live a few days and will be full of trouble and sin. It would be wiser not to call him into being if it is not Thy will to have tolerance and forbearance with him." "Is it for naught that I am called long-suffering and merciful?" God replied. [15]

God's grace and lovingkindness were most evident when He took one spoonful of dust from the location where the altar would eventually stand, stating, "I shall take a man from the place of atonement, that he may suffer." [19]

THE HUMAN SOUL

God's meticulous attention to every element of man's physical form pales in comparison to His concern for the human spirit.
Because it is the spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters, man's soul was created on the first day. As a result, rather than being the last, man is the first product of creation. [17]

This spirit, or, as it is more often known, the soul of man, possesses five distinct abilities. Every night, she escapes from the body, ascends to heaven, and brings new life to man through one of them. [18]

The souls of all men's generations were created with Adam's soul. They are kept in a promptuary in the seventh heaven, from which they are retrieved as human bodies after the human body is needed. [19]

Man's soul and body are linked in this way: When a woman conceives, the Angel of the Night, Lailah, carries the sperm before God, who decides whether the child will be male or female, strong or weak, rich or poor, handsome or ugly, long or short, fat or thin, and what all its other characteristics will be. The choice between piety and wickedness is solely up to the individual. Then God sends a sign to the angel in charge of the souls, saying, "Bring Me the soul so-and-so, concealed in Paradise, whose name is so-and-so, and whose shape is so-and-so," Jesus said. When the angel takes the chosen soul into God's presence, she bows down and prostrates herself in front of Him. "Enter this sperm," God says at that precise moment. "O Lord of the world!" the soul pleads as she opens her mouth. Since the day Thou didst call me into being, I have been content with the world in which I have lived. Why do you want me, who am holy and clean and a portion of Thy grandeur, to enter this dirty sperm?" "The world into which I shall cause thee to enter is better than the one into which thou hast before lived, and I created thee solely for this purpose," God comforts her. The soul is then compelled against her will to enter the sperm, and the angel transports her back to the mother's womb. Two angels have been assigned to ensure that she does not abandon it or fall out of it. A light is placed above her, allowing the soul to view from one end of the globe to the other. An angel transports her to Paradise in the morning and shows her the righteous, who sit there in glory, crowns on their heads. "Dost thou know who these are?" the angel asks the souThosehese whom thou beholdest here were made, like unto thee, in the womb of their mother," the angel continues. They followed God's Torah and laws from the moment they were born.
As a result, they became participants in the happiness that you see them enjoy. Know that you will one day depart from this earth, and if you keep God's Torah, you will be recognized worthy of sitting among these righteous. But if you don't, you'll be sent to the other side."

The angel leads the soul to hell in the evening, where he shows out the sinners who the Angels of Destruction are smiting with fire scourges, the sinners crying out in pain. Woe! Woe! But there is no mercy for them. The angel then asks the soul, "Dost thou know who these are?" and receives the same negative response as before. "Those who are destroyed by fire were formed like unto thee," the angel says. They disobeyed God's Torah and rules when they were released into the earth. As a result, they have come to the shame that you watch them suffer. Know that it is also your destiny to leave the planet. As a result, be just., and not evil, to obtain the future world."

Between morning and sunset, the angel carries the soul around, showing her where she will live, die, and be buried, and he takes her around the entire globe, pointing out the righteous and the wicked, and everything. He replaces her in the mother's womb in the evening, and she stays there for nine months.

"The time has come for thee to travel abroad into the open world," the same angel says to her soul when the time comes for her to emerge from the womb into the open world. "Why do you wish to make me go forth into the open world?" the soul asks. "Know that as thou wast formed against thy will, so now thou wilt be born against thy will, and thy will thou shalt die, and against thy will thou shalt give an account of thyself before the King of kings, the Holy One, and against thy will thou shalt give an account of thyself before the King of kings, the Holy One, and against He is to be praised." The soul, on the other hand, is hesitant to leave her home. The angel then kisses the infant on the nose, turns out the light above his head, and forces him into the world against his will. The child immediately forgets what his soul has seen and learned, and he enters the world wailing because he has lost his haven, security, and rest.

When man's turn comes to leave this world, the same angel appears and asks, "DoestDost recognize me?" "Yes," says the man, "but why have you come to me today when you haven't come on any other day?" "To take thee away from the world, for the moment of thy departure has arrived," the angel adds. Then man begins to cry, and his voice reaches all corners of the globe, but no creature hears him except the cock. "Thou didst take me from two realms, and into this world thou didst bring me," the man retorts to the angel.
The angel, on the other hand, reminds him: "Did I not tell you that you were constructed against your will, that you would be born against your will, and that you would die against your will? And, against your will, you will be required to account for yourself before the Holy One, blessed be He." [20]

THE PERFECT MAN

Adam, like all the creatures created on the six days of creation, arrived fully mature from the Creator's hands. He didn't look like a child, but more like a twenty-year-old guy. [21] His body was enormous, spanning from heaven to earth, or, to put it another way, from east to west. [22] Later generations of men bore only a passing resemblance to Adam in terms of his enormous size and physical perfections. Samson had his strength, and Saul had his neck. Absalom had his hair, Asahel had his speed, Uzziah had his forehead, Josiah had his nostrils, Zedekiah had his eyes, and Zerubbabel had his voice. This physical prowess was not a boon to many of their owners; in fact, they almost all perished as a result of them. Samson died as a result of his incredible strength; Saul killed himself by cutting his neck with his sword; Asahel was pierced by Abner's spear while speeding; Absalom was caught up in oak by his hair and died as a result; Uzziah was afflicted with leprosy on his forehead; the darts that killed Josiah entered through his nostrils, and Zedekiah's eyes were blinded [23]

The majority of men inherited neither the beauty nor the imposing stature of their forefathers. When compared to Sarah, the most beautiful ladies are like chimpanzees when compared to human beings. Sarah has the same relationship with Eve, and Eve was little more than an ape in comparison to Adam. His appearance was so attractive that the sun's radiance was hidden by the sole of his foot. [24]

God had crafted his soul with special care, so his spiritual characteristics kept pace with his charm. She is God's image, and as God fills the world, so the soul fills the human body; as God sees all things and is seen by none, so the soul sees but cannot be seen; as God guides the world, so the soul guides the body; as God is pure in His holiness, so is the soul; and as God dwells in secret, so does the soul. [25]

When God was going to implant a soul into Adam's clod-like cloud-like remarked to him, " "I'm not sure when I'll be able to breathe the soul into him. Into the mouth, really? No, because he'll use it to disparage his adversary. Are you looking into my eyes? He'll wink lustfully at them. Into the ears, perhaps? Slander and blasphemy will be tolerated. I will inhale her into his nostrils; just as they recognize the unclean and reject it while inhaling the fragrant, the devout will avoid sin and cling to the Torah's precepts "[26th]

Adam's soul perfections were shown as soon as he got her while he was still without existence. God revealed the entire history of mankind to the first man in the hour between breathing a soul into him and his being alive. He showed him each generation's leaders; each generation's prophets; each generation's teachers; each generation's academics; each generation's politicians; each generation's judges; each generation's devout members; each generation's average, each generation's impious members; and each generation's commonplace members The story of their years, the number of their days, the calculation of their hours, and the length of their steps were all revealed to him. [27]

Adam gave up seventy of the allotted years of his free singing to live for a thousand years, one of the Lord's days.
But he recognized that only a single minute of existence was allotted to David's tremendous soul, so he gave her seventy years in exchange for his own nine hundred and thirty.'

When Adam named the animals, his wisdom was on display to the fullest. Then it appeared that God, in defying the angels' objections to man's creation, had spoken wisely when He asserted that man would possess greater understanding than they did. God brought the entire world of animals and angels before Adam when he was just an hour old. The latter were tasked with naming the various types, but they were not up to the task. Adam, on the other hand, spoke up without hesitation: "Lord of the universe! This animal's proper name is an ox, as is the case with this one horse, lion, and camel." As a result, he addressed each of them by name, tailoring the moniker to the animal's peculiarities. Then God asked him what his name would be, and he replied Adam because he was made of Adamah, earth's dust. God inquired about His name once more. "Adonai, Lord," he said, "for Thou art Lord over all creatures"—the precise name God had given Himself, the name by which angels refer to Him, the name that will never change. [29] However, without the gift of the Holy Spirit, Adam would not have been able to name all of them; he was, in fact, a prophet, and his intelligence possessed prophetic qualities. [30]

The names of the animals were not the only legacy Adam left to future generations; mankind owed all skills to him, particularly the art of writing, and he was the originator of all seventy languages. [31] He also completed another assignment for his descendants. God showed Adam the entire planet, and Adam decided which areas would be occupied later by men and which would be left untouched. [32]

SATAN'S DOWNFALL

The angels were envious of Adam's amazing qualities, both physical and spiritual. They tried to kill him with fire, and he would have died if it hadn't been for God's protective hand resting on him, establishing peace between him and the angelic army. [33] Satan was particularly envious of the first man, and his evil intentions eventually contributed to his downfall. God called all the angels to come and pay honor and homage to Adam once he was bestowed with a soul. "Thou didst create us, angels, from the brightness of the Shekinah, and now Thou dost instruct us to lay ourselves down before the creature which Thou didst construct out of the dust of the ground!" said Satan, the greatest of the angels in heaven, who had twelve wings instead of six like the rest. "Yet this dust of the ground has more wisdom and understanding than thou," God replied. Satan wanted a wit contest with Adam, which God agreed to. expressing: "I created creatures, birds, and reptiles, and I will summon them all to appear before thee and Adam. If you can give them names, I'll instruct Adam to honor you, and you'll be allowed to rest next to the Shekinah of My splendor.
If Adam refers to them by the names I have given them, thou shalt be subordinate to Adam, and he shall have a space in My garden to cultivate." Thus spake God, and He ascended to Paradise, Satan trailing behind Him. "O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker," Adam exclaimed to his wife after seeing God. Now Satan endeavored to give names to the demons. God also brought two other animals before him, a camel and a donkey, to the same conclusion. Then God turned to Adam and asked him a series of questions about the names of the same animals, phrasing His queries so that the first letter of the first word was the same as the first letter of the name of the animal in front of him. As a result, Adam deduced the appropriate name, and Satan was obliged to acknowledge Adam's dominance. Nonetheless, he let out a cacophony of shrieks that could be heard in the sky, and he refused to pay respect to Adam as he had been told. [34] Despite Michael's frantic representations, the host of angels commanded by him did the same. who was the first angel to kneel himself in front of Adam to set a good example for the other angels Michael said to Satan, "Give reverence to God's image!
If you do not accomplish it, the Lord God will be angry with you." "If He is angry with me, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will be like the Highest!" Satan responded. 'At that time, God threw Satan and his army out of heaven and down to earth, and the enmity between Satan and man began.'

WOMAN

When Adam first opened his eyes and saw the universe around him, he exclaimed to God, "How great are Thy works, O Lord!"
His admiration for the universe around him, however, was not greater than the admiration all creatures had for Adam. They believed he was their creator, and they all came to worship him. But he did say something: "What brings you here to worship me? You and I, on the other hand, shall acknowledge the majesty and might of the One who created us all. "'The Lord reigneth,' he said, 'and he is clothed in grandeur.'" [36]

Not only the creatures on Earth, but even the angels thought Adam was the lord of all, and they were about to salute him with "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts," when God let him sleep, and the angels realized he was only a human being. [37]

The goal of Adam's sleep was to provide him with a wife so that the human race might progress and other creatures could perceive the difference between God and man. The earth began to tremor and quake as it heard what God had decided to accomplish. "I don't have the strength," it admitted, "to feed Adam's descendants' herd." "I and thou together, we will locate fodder for the herd," God said, calming the storm. Accordingly, God and the world were given equal amounts of time; God was given the night and the earth was given the day.
Refreshing sleep nourishes and strengthens man, providing him with life and rest, while the soil produces produce thanks to God's watering. Man, on the other hand, must work the ground for his sustenance. [38]

When the animals came to him in pairs to be named, Adam was overtaken with a sense of isolation, and the Divine decision to bestow a partner on him matched his wishes. [39] Lilith was first given to Adam as a wife to alleviate his loneliness. She, too, had been created from the dust of the earth. She only stayed with him for a short time since she insisted on equal rights with her spouse. Her rights were inherited from their common ancestor. Lilith flew away from Adam and vanished in the air with the power of the Ineffable Name, which she pronounced. When Adam complained to God that the wife He had given him had abandoned him, God dispatched three angels to find her. They located her in the Red Sea and tried to persuade her to return by threatening to kill a hundred of her demon offspring every day if she didn't. Lilith, on the other hand, chose this punishment to live with Adam. She exacts her vengeance by hurting babes—baby boys during their first night of existence, while newborn girls are subjected to her nefarious schemes until they are twenty days old. The only way to fight off the evil is to affix an amulet on the children bearing the names of her three angel captors, as had been agreed upon. [40]

The woman who would become man's genuine companion was torn from Adam's body, since "the union is indissoluble only when like is wedded unto like." [41] Because Adam originally had two faces, which were split after the birth of Eve, the creation of woman from man was feasible. [42]

"I will not take her from the head of man, lest she carries her head high in arrogant pride; not from the eye, lest she be wanton-eyed; not from the ear, lest she be an eavesdropper; not from the neck, lest she be insolent; not from the mouth, lest she be a tattler; not from the heart, lest she is inclined to envy; not from the hand, lest she is a meddler. "I will form her from a chaste piece of the body," God declared, and as He produced each limb and organ, He said, "Be chaste!" "Keep your chastity!" Despite God's best efforts, woman possesses all of the flaws he sought to eliminate. Sarah was an eavesdropper in her tent when the angel spoke with Abraham; Miriam was a talebearer, accusing Moses; Rachel was envious of her sister Leah; Eve put out her hand to take the forbidden fruit, and Dinah was a gadabout; the daughters of Zion were haughty and walked with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes; Sarah was an eavesdropper in her tent when the angel spoke with Abraham; Miriam was [43]

The physical construction of a woman is significantly more complicated than that of a man, as it must be for the function of childbearing, and her mind matures faster than that of a man. [44] Many of the physical and psychological distinctions between men and women may be traced back to the fact that man was created from dirt and woman was created from the bone. Women require perfumes, although men do not; ground dust remains unchanged over time; flesh, on the other hand, requires salt to remain in excellent shape. Women's voices are shrill, but men's voices are not; when soft viands are prepared, there is no sound. However, if you put a bone in a pot, it will immediately crackle. A man can be readily appeased, but a woman cannot; a few drops of water will soften a clod of ground, but a bone will remain hard even if soaked in water for days. The guy must ask the lady to be his wife, rather than the woman asking the man to be her husband because it is the man who has lost a rib and must now make amends. The disparities in clothing and social forms between men and women can be traced back to man's and woman's origins. A woman hides her hair to symbolize Eve's role in bringing sin into the world; she tries to hide her shame, and women ride in front of men in a funeral procession to symbolize Eve's role in bringing death into the world. And the religious rules targeted solely at women are linked to Eve's tale. Adam was the world's initial offering, and Eve soiled it. All women are required to remove a heave sacrifice from the dough as a form of atonement. The woman is also commanded to rekindle the Sabbath light because she dimmed the light of man's soul. [45]

Before the rib for Eve was plucked from Adam's side, he was made to fall into a deep sleep. She would not have awakened love in him if he had observed her creation. It is still true that males do not notice the beauty of women they have known and observed since infancy. God had formed a wife for Adam before Eve, but he refused to accept her because she was made in his presence. He was repulsed by her, despite knowing all the facts of her creation. [46] "This is she who caused my heart to throb many a night!" he shouted as he awoke from his deep sleep and beheld Eve before him in all her startling beauty and grace. Nonetheless, he immediately grasped the nature of woman. He knew she'd use entreaties and tears, or flattery and caresses, to get her message across to men. "This is my never-silent bell!" he declared. [47]

The first couple's wedding was marked by pomp and circumstance that has never been equaled in history. Before presenting Eve to Adam, God dressed and decked her as a bride. "Come, let us perform friendly services for Adam and his helpmate," He said to the angels, "because the universe rests on friendly services, and they are more pleasing in My eyes than the sacrifices Israel will make upon the altar." As the Hazan does under the Huppah, angels ringed the marriage canopy, and God pronounced blessings on the bridal couple. . The angels then danced and played musical instruments in front of Adam and Eve in their ten bridal apartments, which God had prepared for them out of gold, pearls, and precious stones.

Because God added His own name Yah to the names of the man and the woman—Yod to Ish and He to Ishah—to indicate that as long as they walked in God's ways and obeyed His commandments, His name would protect them from all harm, Adam renamed his wife Ishah and himself Ish, abandoning the name Adam that he had borne before the creation of Eve. If they strayed, however, His name would be taken away, and instead of Ish, there would be Esh, fire, which would erupt from each and consume the other. [48]

IN PARADISE, ADAM AND EVE

The Garden of Eden was the birthplace of man and woman, and all men's spirits must pass through it after death before reaching their last destination. Because the souls of the dead must pass through seven gateways before reaching the heaven 'Arabot,' The souls of the righteous are turned into angels and live there forever, praising God and feasting their eyes on the Shekinah's splendor. The Cave of Machpelah, located near Paradise and under Adam's care and supervision, is the first portal. He calls out, "If the soul who presents herself at the portal is worthy," if she is worthy "Make some room! You are most welcome!" The spirit then continues until she reaches the gate of Paradise, which is guarded by cherubim and a blazing sword. She is burned by the sword if she is not judged worthy; otherwise, she is given a pass-bill that allows her to enter the terrestrial Paradise.
There is a pillar of smoke and light reaching from Paradise to the gate of heaven, and whether the soul can climb higher on it and reach heaven depends on her character. Zebul, the third doorway, is located at the entrance to heaven. The guard opens the portal and admits the soul to the celestial Temple if the soul is worthy. Michael presents her to God and leads her to the seventh doorway, 'Arabot,' where the souls of the faithful, transformed into angels, worship the Lord and feast on the Shekinah's beauty. [49]

The tree of life and the tree of knowledge stand side by side in Paradise, the latter forming a hedge around the former. Only those who have carved a road through the tree of knowledge can approach the tree of life, which is so massive that traversing a distance equal to the diameter of the trunk would take a man five hundred years, and the space shaded by its crown of branches is no less immense. The water that irrigates the entire planet comes forth from beneath it,[50] splitting into four streams: the Ganges, the Nile, the Tigris, and the Euphrates. [51] The realm of plants, on the other hand, looked to the earth's waters for nourishment only during the days of creation.
God later made the vegetation reliant on rain and the upper waters. Water is poured into the clouds as they rise from the earth to heaven, as though through a conduit. [52] Only after Adam's creation did the plants begin to sense the effects of water. Deven though was born on the third day, God did not allow them to sprout and appear above the earth's surface until Adam pleaded to Him to give them nourishment, since God longs for the prayers of the righteous. [53]

Because of the nature of Paradise, Adam was not required to work the soil. True, the Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to dress it and keep it, but this just implies that he is to study the Torah and obey God's commands there. [54] There were six commandments in particular that every human being was supposed to follow: a man should not worship idols, blaspheme God, murder, incest, theft, or robbery; and all generations have the responsibility of introducing law and order. [55] There was one more such command, although it was only a temporary injunction. Only the greens of the field were to be eaten by Adam. However, following the deluge, Noah's restriction against using animals for nourishment was lifted.
Adam, on the other hand, was not denied the pleasures of meat dishes.
Even though he was not allowed to slaughter animals to satisfy his hunger, the angels gave him meals and wine, treating him as if he were a guest.
[56] The animals, like the angels, ministered to his needs. They were completely under his control, and they snatched food from both his and Eve's hands. [57] In every way, the animal kingdom had a different relationship with Adam than it had with its successors. They not only spoke man's language, but they also revered God's image and feared the first human pair, all of which altered after man's fall. [59]

THE MAN'S FALL

The serpent stood out among the creatures. He possessed the best attributes of all of them, and he resembled a man in some of them. He stood upright on two feet, like a man, and was the same height as a camel. One pair of serpents would have sufficed to complete all of man's work, and they would have supplied him with silver, gold, diamonds, and pearls if it hadn't been for man's fall, which brought them tragedy as well. It was the serpent's ability that ultimately led to man's demise and his demise.
He became an infidel as a result of his excellent cerebral abilities. It also explains his enmity for men, particularly his conjugal relationships. Envy drove him to consider how he could bring Adam's death about. [60] He knew too much about the man's nature to try to persuade him, so he approached the woman, knowing that women are often deceived. Eve was duped by Eve's discourse, and she couldn't help but fall into a trap. "Is it true that God has declared, 'You shall not eat of every tree in the garden,'" the serpent started. "We may eat of the fruit of all the trees in the garden," Eve said, "save that which is in the middle of the garden, which we may not even touch, lest we be struck with death." She said this because, in his desire to protect her from disobeying the Divine command, Adam forbade Eve from touching the tree, even though God had simply started eating the fruit. The phrase "Better a wall ten hands high that stands, than a wall a hundred ells high that cannot stand," remains true. It was because of Adam's exaggeration that the serpent was able to persuade Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. "Thou seest that touching the tree has not caused thy death," the serpent murmured as he pressed Eve against the tree. It will do you no harm to consume the fruit of the tree. Nothing but malice has caused the restriction, for if you consume it, you will become God. You will have the capacity to create and destroy worlds in the same way that He does. You will have the power to slay and resuscitate in the same way as He does. [61] He ate the fruit of the tree first, and then He created the world. As a result, He forbids you from eating it, lest you create other worlds. 'Artisans of the same guild despise one another,' as everyone knows. Have you not noticed that every creature has authority over the creature that was created before it? The heavens were created on the first day, and the firmament was created on the second day to keep them in place. The firmament, in turn, is dominated by the plants, the third-day creation, because they absorb all of the firmament's water. The sun, together with the other heavenly bodies formed on the fourth day, has dominion over the plant world. Only via their influence can they develop their fruits and flourish. The animal world, which was created on the fifth day, ruled over the celestial spheres. The size, for example, has pinions that can shade the sun. Because you were the last to be created, you are the masters of all of creation. Now is the time to consume the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden and become self-sufficient from God, lest He sends out other creatures to rule over you." [62]

To emphasize the importance of these statements, the serpent began shaking the tree vigorously and bringing its fruit down. He ate it, adding, "As I do not die from eating the fruit, neither will you." Eve couldn't help but think to herself, "All that my master"—as she referred to Adam—" commanded me is merely lies," and she resolved to accept the serpent's advice. [63] She couldn't bring herself to completely disobey God's command. She agreed with her conscience. She ate only the fruit's outer peel at first, then the fruit itself when she realized she wasn't going to die. [64] She had barely finished when she was confronted by the Angel of Death. Expecting to die soon, Eve planned to make Adam taste the forbidden fruit as well, lest he marries another woman after she died. [65] It took tears and bemoaning on her part to persuade Adam to take the disastrous decision.
Not content, she distributed the fruit to all other living beings, causing them to die as well. [66] All ate, and all died, except for the bird Malham, who refused the fruit, saying, "Is it not enough that ye have sinned against God, and have brought death to others?" Do you still want to come to me and try to persuade me to reject God's order so that I can eat and die of it? I'm not going to do your bidding." Then a heavenly voice spoke to Adam and Eve, saying, "To you was the command given." You did not pay attention to it; you disobeyed it, and you attempted to persuade the bird Malham. Even though I gave him no instruction, he was faithful and feared Me. As a result, neither he nor his descendants will ever experience death; they will all live forever in Paradise." [67]

Adam said to Eve, " "Did you give me any of the trees that trees forbade you to eat? Because my eyes are open and my teeth are set on edge, thou didst give it to me." "As my teeth were placed on edge, so may the teeth of all living beings be set on edge," Eve said. [68] The first consequence was that Adam and Eve were stripped nude. Their bodies had previously been covered in a horny skin and engulfed in a cloud of splendor. The cloud of splendor and the horny flesh vanished as soon as they disobeyed the command, and they stood naked and embarrassed. [69] Adam attempted to pluck leaves from the trees to cover a portion of their bodies, but he overheard each tree say: "Then there's the thief who fooled his Maker. No, pride's foot will not come against me, nor will the wicked's hand touch me. As a result, and don't take any leaves from me!" Only the fig tree allowed him to pick its leaves. This was because the fig was the forbidden fruit in and of itself. Adam went through the same ordeal as the prince who seduced one of the palace's maid servantsmaidservantsther, the king, drove him out, he tried in vain to hide with the other maid-servants, but only she who had brought him shame would help him. [70]

THE SANCTIONS

God did not appear to Adam while he stood nude, looking for a way out of his humiliation since one should not "strive to see a man in the hour of his disgrace." He waited until Adam and Eve were completely covered in fig leaves. [71] Adam, on the other hand, foresaw what was about to happen even before God spoke to him. "God taketh Himself to them who dwell in Paradise," the angels said. He also heard more. He overheard the angels discussing his fall with one another, as well as what they were saying to God. The angels were astounded and exclaimed: "What are you talking about? Is he still roaming about in Paradise? Is he still alive?" God then says: "'In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt dee!' I told him. You have no idea what kind of day I was referring to—one of My thousand-year days or one of yours. One of My days will be given to him. He will live for nine hundred and thirty years, leaving seventy to his successors." [72] When Adam and Eve heard God approaching, they took cover among the trees, which they couldn't have done before the fall. Adam's height was from the heavens to the ground before he committed his crime, but it was reduced to one hundred cells afterward. [73] Another result of Adam's disobedience was the terror he felt when he heard God's voice, which had never bothered him before his fall. [74] As a result, when Adam answered, "I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was scared," God responded, "Thou art not afraid before, and now thou art afraid?" [75]

At first, God withheld from chastisement. "Where art thou, Adam?" He inquired from the gate of Paradise. As a result, God desired to teach the man a politeness rule: never enter another's house without first identifying oneself. [76] It's impossible to deny that the words "Where art thou?" were loaded with meaning. They were meant to emphasize the huge difference between Adam's current and previous states—between his miraculous size previously and his shrunken stature now; between God's sovereignty over him then and the serpent's control over him now. [77] At the same time, God desired to provide Adam with the option to repent of his transgression and accept Divine forgiveness. Adam, on the other hand, instead of repenting, slandered God and spoke blasphemies against Him. [78] When God questioned, "Hast thou eaten of the tree which I instructed thee not to eat?" he did not acknowledge his guilt, but instead defended himself by saying, "O Lord of the world!" I didn't fall into sin while I was alone, but as soon as this woman approached me, she enticed me. "I sent her to thee as an aid, yet thou art ungrateful when thou accusest her of giving me the tree," God replied. You should not have obeyed her because you are the boss, not she." [79] God, who knows everything, had predicted this, and He had created Eve only after Adam had begged Him for a helpmate so that he would have no apparent cause to blame God for creating woman. [80]

Eve, like Adam, tried to absolve herself of responsibility for his wrongdoing. She, like her husband, did not admit her sin and seek forgiveness, which she would have received. [81] God, being gracious, waited until Adam and Eve were stiff-necked before announcing their doom. The serpent, on the other hand, is a different story. God cursed the serpent without listening to his defedefenseter all, the serpent is a villain, and the wicked are great debaters. If God had asked him a question, the serpent would have replied: "You gave them a command, and I disagreed with it. Why did they follow me instead of Thee?" [82] As a result, God did not argue with the serpent but instead decreed the 10 punishments listed below: The serpent's mouth was shut and his ability to speak was taken away; his hands and feet were chopped off; the dirt was given to him as nourishment; he must slough his skin with great suffering; he and man will be at odds. If he consumes the most delectable foods or drinks the sweetest beverages, they all turn to dust in his mouth; The female serpent's pregnancy lasts seven years; mankind will attempt to kill him as soon as they see him; he will not escape the punishment destined for him, even in the future world, where all beings will be blessed; he will depart from the Holy Land if Israel walks in God's ways. [83]

God also spoke to the serpent, saying, "I made thee king over all animals, both cattle and wild animals, but thou wast not content. As a result, you will be cursed above all cattle and all wild animals. I gave you an upright stance, but you weren't happy with it. As a result, you must crawl on your stomach. I made thee eat man's food, yet thou wast not satisfied.
As a result, for the rest of your life, you must consume dust. To support Adam's wife, you sought to kill him. As a result, I'm going to make you hate the woman." How true it is: "He who lusts after what is not his due, not his due, not his due, not his due, not his due, not his due, not his due," says As a result, you must consume dust for the rest of your life. You attempted to murder Adam so that you could marry his wife. As a result, I will create hostility between you and the woman." How true that is: whoever lusts after what is not his due not only does not get what he wants, but he also loses what he already has!

Because angels were there when the serpent's destiny was pronounced—because God summoned a Sanhedrin of seventy-one angels when He sat in judgment on him—angels were tasked with carrying out the judgment against him. They came down from the sky and cut off his hands and feet. His anguish was so tremendous that his wailing could be heard from one end of the globe to the other. [84]

The punishment for Eve included eleven curses, the effects of which can still be seen in the physical, spiritual, and social state of women today. [85] Eve's fate was not revealed to her by God Himself. Sarah was the only woman to whom God ever communicated. He used the services of an interpreter in the instance of Eve. [86]

Finally, Adam's punishment was tenfold: he lost his celestial clothing—God stripped it from him; he was to earn his daily bread in sorrow; the food he ate was to be changed from good to bad; his children were to wander from land to land; his body was to exude sweat; he was to have an evil inclination; in death, his body was to be a prey of the worms; animals were to have power over him, in that they could

The penalty meted out to these three sinners was not the only one. The earth fared no better, having committed numerous transgressions. First and foremost, it had disobeyed God's instruction, issued on the third day, to produce a "tree of fruit."
God wished for a tree whose wood was as delicious as its fruit. The soil, on the other hand, developed a fruit-bearing tree that was not edible. [88] Again, the earth did not fulfill its entire responsibility for Adam's sin. If Adam committed a trespass, God had appointed the sun and the earth to testify against him. The sun had darkened as a result of Adam's disobedience, but the earth, not knowing how to respond to Adam's disobedience, had completely ignored it. .[89] The earth had to endure a tenfold punishment as well: previously independent, she was now to wait for rain from above to water her; sometimes the earth's fruits fail; the grain she produces is stricken with blasting and mildew; she must produce all kinds of noxious vermin; she was to be divided into valleys and mountains; she was to grow barren trees bearing no fruit; thorns and thistles sprout from her; much is sown in the earth, but little is The ground will have to reveal her blood in the future, and will no longer be able to hide her slain; and, eventually, she will "wax old like a garment." [90]

When Adam first heard the words, he was taken aback "When he said, "It shall grow out thorns and thistles," a perspiration came out on his face, and he said, "What!" Will I be able to eat from the same manger as my cattle?" "In consideration of the sweat of thy face, thou shalt eat bread," the Lord said to him. [91]

The planet isn't the only thing that has suffered as a result of Adam's transgression. The moon suffered the same fate. The skies, the sun, and the stars, as well as all created creatures and things up to God's throne, cried bitterly when the serpent enticed Adam and Eve and exposed their nakedness. The transgression of Adam distressed the angels and celestial beings alike. God became enraged and covered the moon's light because she was the only one who laughed.
Instead of glowing brightly throughout the day like the sun, she swiftly ages and must be born and reborn again and again. [92] God was angered by the moon's callous behavior, not only because it contrasted with the compassion of all other creatures, but also because He was filled with pity for Adam and his wife. He fashioned clothing for them out of the serpent's skin. He would have done even more if he could. If they had been penitent, he would have allowed them to stay in Paradise. But they refused to repent, and they were forced to flee, lest their godlike wisdom leads them to destroy the tree of life and teach them how to live indefinitely. When God expelled them from Paradise, however, He did not fully allow the Divine character of justice to prevail. He connected mercy to it. "O what a tragedy that Adam was not able to observe the order imposed upon him for even a small period!" He murmured as they walked away.

God appointed the cherubim, also known as the ever-turning sword of fire, to guard the gate to Paradise since angels may change their shape at will. [94] Instead of the tree of life, God gave Adam the Torah, which is also a tree of life to those who lay hold of it, and he was given pepermitted near Paradise in the east. [95]

The Lord issued a sentence against Adam and Eve, as well as the serpent, and instructed the angels to expel the man and woman from Paradise.
They began to weep and supplicate severely, and the angels felt sorry for them and delayed carrying out the Divine mandate until they might implore God to lessen His harsh sentence. "Was it I who committed a trespass, or did I deliver a false judgment?" the Lord demanded inexorably. Adam's request for the fruit of the tree of life was also denied, with the promise that if he lived a virtuous life, he would be granted the fruit on the day of resurrection, and he would then live forever.

When Adam realized that God had made an irreversible decision, he began to weep again, pleading with the angels to at least allow him to take sweet-scented spices out of Paradise with him, so that he could bring offerings to God outside as well, and that his prayers would be accepted before the Lord. The angels then approached God and prayed, "King unto eternal, command Thou us to give Adam sweet-scented spices of Paradise," and God answered them. For his sustenance, Adam picked saffron, nard, calamus, and cinnamon, as well as a variety of other seeds. With them in their possession, Adam and Eve departed Paradise and arrived on Earth. [96] They had only experienced the splendors of Paradise for a short time—just a few hours. God conceived the idea of creating man in the first hour of the sixth day of creation; in the second hour, He conferred with the angels; in the third, He gathered the dust for man's body; in the fourth, He formed Adam; in the fifth, He clothed him with skin; and in the sixth, the soulless form was complete. for it to be able to stand on its own; In the seventh, a soul was breathed into it; in the eighth, the man was led into Paradise; in the ninth, he was given the Divine command prohibiting him from eating the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden; in the tenth, he disobeyed the command; in the eleventh, he was judged; and in the twelfth, he was cast out of Paradise in atonement for his sin.

This memorable day occurred on the first of Tishri's month. As a result, God addressed Adam: "You must be the role model for your children. As you were judged and absolved by Me on this day, so will thy children Israel be judged and absolved by Me on this New Year's Day." [97]

Each day of creation gave forth three things: heaven, earth, and light; the firmament, Gehenna, and the angels; trees, plants, and Paradise; the sun, moon, and stars; and fishes, birds, and leviathan. Because God intended for the seventh day, the Sabbath, to be a day of rest, the sixth day had to do double duty. It gave birth to six creatures: Adam, Eve, cattle, reptiles, field monsters, and demons. The demons were created just before the Sabbath began, thus they are incorporeal spirits—the Lord didn't have time to give them bodies. [98]

Ten creations were brought forth in the twilight between the sixth day and the Sabbath: the rainbow, which was invisible until Noah's time; manna; water springs, from which Israel drew water for his thirst in the desert; the writing on the two tables of stone given at Sinai; the pen with which the writing was written; the two tables themselves; the mouth of Balaam's she-ass; Moses' grave; the cave in which Moses and Elijah d [99]

HEAVENLY SABBATH

There was no one to thank or know God before the world was formed. As a result, He created the angels and the holy Hayyot, as well as the heavens and their host, and Adam. They were all to worship and adore their Creator. However, there was no appropriate opportunity to proclaim the Lord's splendor and praise throughout the week of creation. Only on the Sabbath, when all creation was at rest, did all beings on earth and in heaven break out in song and praise when God ascended and sat upon His throne. [100] He sat on the Throne of Joy, and all the angels passed before Him—the angel of the water, the angel of the rivers, the angel of the mountains, the angel of the hills, the angel of the abysses, the angel of the deserts, the angel of the sun, the angel of the moon, the angel of the Pleiades, the angel of Orion, the angel of the herbs, the angel of Paradise, the angel of Gehenna They all rejoiced and danced and sung and exalted the Lord with various songs and instruments, and they all appeared before God with great delight, laved in a stream of joy. "Let the Lord's glory continue forever!" started the ministering angels. "Let the Lord exult in His workmanship!" said the rest of the angels as they joined in on the chorus. 'Arab, the seventh heaven, was brimming with joy and glory, spsplendornd strength, power and might, pride and magnificence and grandeur, praise and jubilation, song and gladness, steadfastness and righteousness, honor and adoration, praise and jubilation, song and gladness, steadfastness and righteousness, honor and adoration, praise and jubilation, song and gladness, steadfastness and righteousness, honor and adoration

Then God commanded the Sabbath Angel to sit on a throne of splendor, and He summoned the chiefs of angels from all the heavens and abysses to dance and exult before him, proclaiming, "Sabbath it is unto the Lord!" "It is Sabbath for the Lord!" exclaimed the exalted lords of the sky. Even Adam was allowed to ascend to the highest heaven and join in the Sabbath celebrations.

The Lord dedicated His creation by giving Sabbath joy to all beings, except Adam. Adam intoned a song of praise for the Sabbath day, seeing its majesty, dignity, and greatness, and the delight it bestowed on everybody, being the origin of all joy. "Thou singest a hymn of praise to the Sabbath day, but none to Me, the Sabbath's God?" God remarked to him. The Sabbath then rose from his seat and prostrated himself before God, saying, "It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord," and adding, "And to sing praises unto Thy Name, O Most High!" [101]

This was the first Sabbath, and God and the angels celebrated it in heaven. At the same moment, the angels were informed that Israel would similarly hallow the day in the future. God revealed to them: "I will choose a people from all the peoples for Myself. This person will keep the Sabbath, and I will make them My people, and I will be their God. I have selected the line of Israel completely from everything that I have seen, and I have inscribed him as My first-born son, and I have sanctified him and the Sabbath unto Myself for all eternity, that he preserve the Sabbath and hallow it from all work." [102]

The Sabbath had a special meaning for Adam. "Adam did not dwell in his splendor overnight!" the angels exclaimed as he was carried out of Paradise in the twilight of the Sabbath eve. The Sabbath then stood before God as Adam's advocate, saying: "Lord of the universe! During the six days of work, no creature was killed. What would become of the Sabbath's sanctity and blessing if Thou begins today by murdering Adam?" As a result, Adam was saved from the fires of hell, which would have been the appropriate retribution for his misdeeds, and he wrote a hymn in praise of the Sabbath, which David later embodied in his Psalter. [103]

Adam was allowed to learn about and enjoy the Sabbath. The celestial light that allowed Adam to survey the entire world from beginning to end should have been made to vanish as soon as he sinned. But, out of respect for the Sabbath, God allowed the light to continue to shine, and the angels sang a song of praise and thankfulness to God for the brilliant light that shone through the night at sundown on the sixth day. Only when the Sabbath day ended did the celestial light fade away, much to Adam's dismay, as he worried the serpent would attack him in the dark. But God enlightened his thinking, and he discovered how to rub two stones together to create light for his needs. [104]

The celestial light was one of Adam's seven treasured gifts before the fall, and it would only be given to man again in the Messianic age. The others are his beauty; perpetual life; his height; the fruits of the soil; the fruits of the tree; and the luminaries of the sky, the sun, and the moon, for in the world to come, the light of the moon will be as bright as the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold. [105]

REPENTANCE OF ADAM

After being cast out of Paradise, Adam and Eve built a home for themselves and remained in it in great agony for seven days, grieving and crying. They came out to seek food at the end of the seven days, plagued by hunger. For the next seven days, Adam wandered the country, yearning for the delicacies he had experienced in Paradise. He searched in vain and came up empty-handed. "My lord, if it pleases thee, slaughter me," Eve said to her husband. Perhaps God will then restore thee to Paradise, as the Lord God grew enraged with thee solely because of me. "But Adam despised her plan, and the two of them set off again in quest of food. They searched for nine days and found nothing that resembled what they had in Paradise. Only food suited for livestock and beasts was visible. "Let us do penance," Adam suggested, "and perhaps the Lord God would pardon us, have mercy on us, and give us something to support our lives." Knowing that Eve would not be able to endure the mortification of the flesh that he planned to inflict on himself, he devised a punishment for her that was not the same as his. He told her, " "Get up and go to the Tigris River; pick a stone and place it in the deepest portion of the river, where the water is the deepest. And let no words come out of thy mouth, for we are unworthy to supplicate God, and our lips are dirty because of the tree's forbidden fruit. Stay in the water for a total of 37 days."

For himself, Adam set aside forty days of fasting while standing in the Jordan River, just as Eve was to do in the Tigris. He said: After adjusting and mounting the stone amid the Jordan, with the waters pouring up to his neck, he said: "I command thee, Jordan's water! Afflict thyself on me, and assemble all the swimming animals in thee to me. Allow them to encircle me and mourn with me, and allow them to beat me instead of their breasts with anguish. They haven't sinned; only I have!" They all came quickly, the Jordanians, and they encircled the city.

Satan was troubled by the penance that Adam and Eve imposed on themselves. He was afraid that God would forgive their sin, so he tried to sabotage Eve's plan. He reappeared in the form of an angel after an eighteen-day absence. He began to cry as if distressed because of her and said: "Step out of the water and stop weeping. Your wailing has been heard by the Lord God, and He has accepted your repentance. All the angels petitioned the Lord on your behalf, and He has dispatched me to pull you from the sea and provide you with the nourishment you had in Paradise and for which you have been longing." As weakened as she was, Adam immediately recognized him and screamed out, "It's him!" "Where has thy penitence gone, Eve? How could you let our adversary, who robbed us of our sojourn in Paradise and all spiritual bliss, deceive you once more?" Eve, too, began to wail and mourn at this point: "Oh, Satan, what fate awaits you! Why are you waging a futile war against us? What have we done to you that you should be so zealous in pursuing us?" With a long sigh, Satan explained how Adam, whom he had been jealous of, had been the true cause of his fall. He had been enticed to have him expelled from Paradise because he had lost his splendor through him.

When Adam heard Satan's confession, he appealed to God, saying: "My God, my God! My life is in Thy hands. Remove this opponent from my life who attempts to destroy my spirit, and give me the glory he has given up." Satan immediately vanished, but Adam maintained his penance by standing in the Jordan for forty days. [106]

While standing in the river, Adam noted that the days were getting shorter, and he feared that the world would become darker as a result of his transgression and that it would soon sink. He spent eight days in prayer and fasting to stave off the impending calamity. However, after the winter solstice, when the days began to grow longer again, he rejoiced for eight days, and the next year he enjoyed both periods, the one before and the one after the solstice. This is why the pagans glorify their gods by celebrating the calends and saturnalia, even though Adam had committed those days to God's praise. [107]

When Adam first saw the sunset, he was filled with anxiety and fear. It occurred near the end of the Sabbath, and Adam remarked, "I'm doomed! Because of my wrongdoing, the world has darkened, and it will once again become void and formless. The death sentence that God has decreed against me shall be carried out in this manner!"
He cried the entire night, and Eve, who sat opposite him, cried as well. When the day broke, he saw that what he had despised was only the course of nature, and he presented an offering to God, a unicorn whose horn was made before his hoofs,[108] which he slaughtered on the location where the altar would eventually be be be built in Jerusalem. [109]

RAZIEL'S BOOK is a collection of stories about the prophet RAZIEL.

Following his banishment from Paradise, Adam appealed to God, saying, "O God, Lord of the world! You created the entire universe for the honor and glory of the Mighty One, and you did so in a way that pleased Thee. Thy empire will last forever, and Thy reign will last for all generations. Nothing is hidden from Thee, and nothing is hidden from Thy gaze. You made me as Thy craftsmanship and made me the ruler over Thy animals so that I could be the most important of Thy works. But the clever, cursed snake enticed me with the tree of desire and lusts, and he also seduced my bosom wife. But Thou didst not tell me what would happen to my offspring and future generations. I am well aware that no human being can be righteous in Thy eyes, and what courage do I possess to approach Thee with an impudent face? I have no voice to speak with and no sight to see with because I sinned and committed a trespass, and as a result of my sins, I was expelled from Paradise. I must plow the land from whence I was abducted, and the other inhabitants of the earth, the beasts, will no longer be in awe and terror of me as they once were. Wisdom has vanished from me since I ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and I am an idiot who knows nothing, an uneducated man who does not understand. Now, O kind and gracious God, I beseech Thee to return Thy compassion to the head of Thy works, to the spirit that Thou hast instilled in him and the soul that Thou hast breathed into him. For Thou art gentle, slow to wrath, and full of love, meet me with Thy grace. I pray that my prayer reaches the throne of God. You were from the beginning, and you will continue to be from the beginning; you were king, and you will continue to be king. Now, take mercy on what Thy hands have created. Grant me knowledge and understanding, so that I may know what will happen to me, my progeny, and all subsequent generations, and what will happen to me every day and month, and mayest Thou do not withhold from me the assistance of Thy servants and angels."

On the third day after he had offered up this prayer, while he was
sitting on the banks of the river that flows forth out of Paradise,
there appeared to him, in the heat of the day, the angel Raziel,
bearing a book in his hand. The angel addressed Adam thus: "O Adam, why
Is art thou so fainthearted? Why art thou distressed and anxious? Thy
words were heard at the moment when thou didst utter thy supplication
and entreaties, and I have received the charge to teach thee pure words
and deep understanding, to make the wise through the contents of the
sacred book in my hand, to know what will happen to thee until the day
of thy death. And all thy descendants and all the later generations, if
they will but read this book in purity, with a devout heart and an
humble mind, and obey its precepts, will become like unto thee. They,
too, will foreknow what things shall happen, and in what month and on
what day or on what night. All will be manifest to them—they will know
and understand whether a calamity will come, a famine or wild beasts,
floods or drought; whether there will be an abundance of grain or dearth;
whether the wicked will rule the world; whether locusts will devastate
the land; whether the fruits will drop from the trees unripe; whether
boils will afflict men; whether wars will prevail, or diseases or
plagues among men and cattle; whether a good is resolved upon in heaven,
or evil; whether blood will flow, and the death-rattle of the slain be
heard in the city. And now, Adam, come and give heed unto what I shall
tell thee regarding the manner of this book and its holiness."

Raziel, the angel, then read from the book, and when Adam heard the
words of the holy volume as they issued from the mouth of the angel, he
fell affrighted. But the angel encouraged him. "Arise, Adam," he
said, "Be of good courage, be not afraid, take the book from me and
keep it, for thou wilt draw knowledge from it thyself and become wise,
and thou wilt also teach its contents to all those who shall be found
worthy of knowing what it contains."

At the moment when Adam took the book, a flame of fire shot up from
near the river, and the angel rose heavenward with it. Then Adam knew
that he who had spoken to him was an angel of God, and it was from the
Holy King Himself that the book had come, and he used it in holiness
and purity. It is the book out of which all things worth knowing can be learned and all mysteries, and it teaches also how to call upon the
angels and make them appear before men, and answer all their questions.
But not all alike can use the book, only he who is wise and
God-fearing, and resorts to it in holiness. Such a one is secure
against all wicked counsels, his life is serene, and when death takes
him from this world, he finds repose in a place where there are neither
demons nor evil spirits, and out of the hands of the wicked, he is
quickly rescued.[110]

ADAM'S INFECTIOUS DISEASE

When Adam had lived to be nine hundred and thirty years old, a sickness
seized him, and he felt that his days were drawing to an end. He
summoned all his descendants and assembled them before the door of the
house of worship in which he had always offered his prayers to God, to
give them his last blessing. His family was astonished to find him
stretched out on the bed of sickness, for they did not know what pain
and were suffering.[111] They thought he was overcome with longing
after the fruits of Paradise, and for lack of them was depressed. Seth
announced his willingness to go to the gates of Paradise and be God to
let one of His angels give him its fruits. But Adam explained to
them what sickness and pain are and that God had inflicted upon them
as a punishment for his sin.[112] Adam suffered violently; tears
and groans were wrung from him. Eve sobbed, and said, "Adam, my lord,
give me the half of thy sickness, I will gladly bear it. Is it not on
account of me that this hand come upon thee? On account of me, thou
undergoest pain and anguish."

Adam bade Eve go with Seth to the gates of Paradise and entreat God to
have mercy upon him, and send his angel to catch up some of the oil of
life flowing from the tree of His mercy and give it to his messengers.
The ointment would bring him rest, and banish the pain consuming him.
On his way to Paradise, Seth was attacked by a wild beast. Eve called
out to the assailant, "How durst thou lay hand on the image of God?"
The ready answer came: "It is thin own fault. Hadst thou not opened
thy mouth to eat of the forbidden fruit, my mouth would not be opened
now to destroy a human being." But Seth remonstrated: "Hold thy tongue!
Desist from the image of God until the day of judgment." And the beast
gave way, saying, "See, I refrain myself from the image of God," and it
slunk away to its covert.[113]

Arrived at the gates of Paradise, Eve and Seth began to cry bitterly,
and they besought God with many lamentations to give them oil from the
tree of His mercy. For hours they prayed thus. At last the archangel
Michael appeared and informed them that he came as the messenger of
God to tell them that their petition could not be granted. Adam would
die in a few days, and as he was subject to death, so would all his
descendants. Only at the time of the resurrection, and then only to the
pious, the oil of life would be dispensed, together with all the bliss
and all the delights of Paradise.[114] Returned to Adam, they reported
what had happened, and he said to Eve: "What misfortune didst thou
bring upon us when thou didst arouse great wrath! See, death is the
portion of all our race! Call hither our children and our children's
children, and tell them the manner of our sinning." And while Adam lay
prostrate upon the bed of pain, Eve told them the story of their
fall.[115]

THE FALL OF EVE'S STORY.

After I was created, God divided Paradise and all the animals therein
between Adam and me. The east and the north were assigned to Adam,
together with the male animals. I was mistress of the west and the
south and all the female animals. Satan, smarting under the disgrace of
having been dismissed from the heavenly host, resolved to bring about
our ruin and avenge himself upon the cause of his discomfiture. He won
the serpent over to his side and pointed out to him that before the
creation of Adam the animals could enjoy all that grew in Paradise, and
now they were restricted to the weeds. To drive Adam from Paradise
would therefore be for the good of all. The serpent demurred, for he
stood in awe of the wrath of God. But Satan calmed his fears, and said,
"Do thou but become my vessel,[117] and I shall speak a word through
thy mouth wherewith thou wilt succeed in seducing a man."

The serpent thereupon suspended himself from the wall surrounding
Paradise, to carry on his conversation with me from without. And this
happened at the very moment when my two guardian angels had betaken
themselves to heaven to supplicate the Lord. I was quite alone
Therefore, and when Satan assumed the appearance of an angel, bent over
the wall of Paradise, and intoned seraphic songs of praise, I was
Deceived, and thought him an angel. A conversation was held between us,
Satan speaking through the mouth of the serpent:

"Art thou Eve?"

"Yes, it is I."

"What art thou doing in Paradise?"

"The Lord has put us here to cultivate it and eat of its fruits."

"That is good. Yet you eat not of all the trees."

"That we do, excepting a single one, the tree that stands amid Paradise. Concerning it alone, God has forbidden us to eat of it,
else, the Lord said, ye will die."

The serpent made every effort to persuade me that I had naught to
fear—that God knew that in the day that Adam and I ate of the fruit of
the tree, we should be as He. Ialousy that had made Him
say,[118] "Ye shall not eat of it." Despite all his urging, I
remained steadfast and refused to touch the tree. Then the serpent
engaged to pluck the fruit for me. Thereupon I opened the gate of
Paradise, and he slipped in. Scarcely was he within, when he said to
me, "I repent of my words, I would rather not give thee of the fruit of
the forbidden tree." It was but a cunning device to tempt me more. He
consented to give me of the fruit only after I swore to make my husband
eat of it, too. This is the oath he made me take: "By the throne of
God, by the cherubim, and by the tree of life, I shall give my husband
of this fruit, that he may eat, too." Thereupon the serpent ascended
the tree and injected his poison, the poison of the evil inclination,
into the fruit,[119] and bent the branch on which it grew to the
ground. I took hold of it, but I knew at once that I was stripped of
the righteousness in which I had been clothed.[120] I began to weep,
because of it and because of the oath the serpent had forced from me.

The serpent disappeared from the tree, while I sought leaves wherewith
to cover my nakedness, but all the trees within my reach had cast off
their leaves at the moment when I ate of the forbidden fruit.[121]
There was only one that retained its leaves, the fig tree, the very
tree the fruit of which had been forbidden to me.[122] I summoned Adam
and using blasphemous words, I prevailed upon him to eat the
fruit. As soon as it had passed his lips, he knew his true condition,
and he exclaimed against me: "Thou wicked woman, what bast thou brought
down upon me? Thou hast removed me from the glory of God."

At the same time, Adam and I heard the archangel Michael[123] blow his
trumpet, and all the angels cried out: "Thus saith the Lord, Come ye
with Me to Paradise and hearken unto the sentence which I will
pronounce upon Adam."[124]

We hid because we feared the judgment of God. Sitting in his
chariot drawn by cherubim, the Lord, accompanied by angels uttering His
praise, appeared in Paradise. At His coming the bare trees again put
forth leaves.[125] His throne was erected by the tree of life, and God
addressed Adam: "Adam, where e dost thou keep thyself in hiding? Thinkest
thou I cannot find thee? Can a house conceal itself from its
architect?"[126]

Adam tried to blame me, who had promised to hold him
harmless before God. And I in turn accused the serpent. But God dealt
out justice to all three of us. To Adam, He said: "Because thou didst
not obey My commands, but didst hear unto the voice of thy wife,
cursed is the ground despite thy work. When tho dost cultivate it,
it will not yield thee its strength. Thorns and thistles shall it bring
forth to thee, and in the sweat of thy face shalt tho,u eat bread. Thou
wilt suffer many a hardship, thou wilt grow weary, and yet find no
rest. Bitterly oppressed, thou shalt never taste of any sweetness. Thou
shalt be scourged by heat, and yet pinched by cold. Thou shalt toil
greatly, and yet not gain wealth. Thou shalt grow fat, and yet cease to
live. And the animals over which thou art the master will rise
against thee, because thou did not keep my command."[127]

Upon me, God pronounced this sentence: "Thou shalt suffer anguish in
childbirth and grievous torture. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth
children, and in the hour of travail, when thou art near to lose thy
life, thou wilt confess and cry, 'Lord, Lord, save me this time, and I
will never again indulge in carnal pleasure,' and yet thy desire shall
ever and ever be unto thy husband."[128]

At the same time, all sorts of diseases were decreed upon us. God said
to Adam: "Because thou didst turn aside from My covenant, I will
inflict seventy plagues upon thy flesh. The pain of the first plague
shall lay hold on thy eyes; the pain of the second plague upon thy
hearing and one after the other all the plagues shall come upon
thee."[129] The serpent God addressed thus: "Because thou becamest the
vessel of the Evil One,[130] deceiving the innocent, cursed art thou
above all cattle and every beast of the field. Thou shalt be
robbed of the food thou wast wont to eat, and dust shalt thou eat aleatshe days of thy life. Upon thy breast and thy belly shalt thou go, and
of thy hands and thy feet thou shalt be deprived. Thou shalt not remain
in possession of thy ears, nor of thy wings, nor of any of thy limbs
wherewith thou didst seduce the woman and her husband, bringing them to
such a pass that they must be driven forth from Paradise. And I will
put enmity between thee and the seed of man. It shall bruise thy head,
and, thou shalt bruise his heel until the day of judgment."[131]

ADAM'S DEATH is a story about a man named Adam who died in.

On the last day of Adam's life, Eve said to him, "Why should I go on
living, when tho art no more? How long shall I have to linger on after
thy death? Tell me this!" Adam assured her she would not tarry long.
They would die together and be buried together in the same place. He
commanded her not to touch his corpse until an angel from God had made
provision regarding it, and she was to begin at once to pray to God
until his soul escaped from his body.

While Eve was on her knees in prayer, an angel came,[132] and bade her
rise. "Eve, arise from thy pain," he commanded. "Behold, thy husband's
hand left his mortal coil. Arise, and see his spirit go up to his
Creator, to appear before Him." And, lo, she beheld a chariot of light,
drawn by four shining eagles, and preceded by angels. In this chariot
lay the soul of Adam, which the angels were talking to heaven. Arrived
there, they burnt incense until the clouds of smoke enveloped the
heavens. Then they prayed to God to have mercy upon His image and the
work of His holy hands. In her awe and fright, Eve summoned Seth, and
she bade him look upon the vision and explain the celestial sights
beyond her understanding. She asked, "Who may the two Ethiopians be,
who are adding their prayers to thy father's?" Seth told her, they were
the sun and the moon, turned so black because they could not shine in
the face of the Father of light.[133] Scarcely had he spoken, when an
angel blew a trumpet, and all the angels cried out with awful voices,
"Blessed be the glory of the Lord by His creatures, for He has shown
mercy unto Adam, the work of his hands!" A seraph then seized Adam, and
carried him off to the river Acheron, washed him three times, and
brought him before the presence of God, who sat upon His throne, and,
stretching out his hand, lifted Adam and gave him over to the
archangel Michael, with the words, "Raise him to the Paradise of the
third heaven, and there thou shalt leave him until the great and
fearful day ordained by Me." Michael executed the Divine behest, and
all the angels sang a song of praise, extolling God for the pardon He
had accorded Adam.

Michael now entreated God to let him attend to the preparation of
Adam's body for the grave. Permission being given, Michael repaired to
earth, accompanied by all the angels. When they entered the terrestrial
Paradise, all the trees blossomed forth, and the perfume wafted then
lulled all men into slumber except Seth alone. Then God said to Adam,
as his body lay on the ground: "If thou hadst kept My commandment, they
would not rejoice who brought the hither. But I tell thee, I will turn
the joy of Satan and his consorts into sorrow, and thy sorrow shall be
turned into joy. I will restore thee to thy dominion, and thou shalt
sit upon the throne of thy seducer, while he shall be damned, with
those who hear unto him."[134]

Thereupon, at the bidding of God, the three great archangels[135]
covered the body of Adam with linen, and poured sweet-smelling oil upon
it. With it, they interred also the body of Abel, which had lain
unburied since Cain had slain him, for all the murderer's efforts to
hide it had been in vain. The corpse, again and again, sprang forth from
the earth, and a voice issued then, proclaiming, "No creature shall
rest in the earth until the first one of all has returned the dust to
me of which it was formed."[136] The angels carried the two bodies to
Paradise, Adam's, and Abel's—the latter had all this time been lying on
a stone on which angels had placed it—and they buried them both on the
spot whence God had taken the dust wherewith to make Adam.[137]

God called unto the body of Adam, "Adam! Adam!" and it answered, "Lord,
here am I!" Then God said: "I told thee once, Dust thou art, and unto
dust shalt thou return. Now I promise the resurrection. I will awaken
thee on the day of judgment, when all the generations of men that
spring from thy loins, shall arise from the grave." God then sealed up
the grave, so that none might do him harm during the six days to elapse
until his rib should be restored to him through the death of Eve.[138]

EVENING OF EVE'S DEATH

The interval between Adam's death and her Eve was spent weeping. She
was distressed in particular that she knew not what had become of
Adam's body, for none except Seth, had been awake while the angel
interred it. When the hour of her death drew nigh, Eve supplicated to
be buried in the same spot in which the remains of her husband
rested. She prayed to God: "Lord of all powers! Remove not Thy
maid-servant from the body of Adam, from which Thou didst take me, from
whose limbs Thou didst form me. Permit me, who am an unworthy and
sinning woman, to enter into his habitation. As we were together in
Paradise, neither separated from the other; as together we were tempted
to transgress Thy law, neither separated from the other, so, O Lord,
separate us not now." To the end of her prayer, she added the petition,
raising her eyes heavenward, "Lord of the world! Receive my spirit!"
and she gave up her soul to God.

The archangel Michael came and taught Seth how to prepare Eve for
burial, and three angels descended and interred her body in the grave
with Adam and Abel. Then Michael spoke to Seth, "Thus shalt thou bury
all men that die until the resurrection day." And again, having given
him this command, he spoke: "Longer than six days ye shall not
mourn.[139] The repose of the seventh day is the token of the
resurrection in the latter day, for on the seventh day the Lord rested
from all the work which He had created and made."[140]

Though death was brought into the world through Adam, he cannot be
held responsible for the death of men. Once on anime, he said to God:
"I am not concerned about the death of the wicked, but I should not
like the pious to reproach me and lay the blame for their death upon
me. I pray Thee, make no mention of my guilt." And God promised to
fulfill his wish. Therefore, when a man is about to die, God appears to
him, and bids him set down in writing all he has done during his life,
for, He tells him, "Thou art dying because of thy evil deeds." The
record fits finished, and God orders him to seal it with his seal. This is the
writing God will bring out on the judgment day, and to each will be
made known his deeds.[141] As soon as life is extinct in a man, he is
presented to Adam, whom he accuses of having caused his death. But Adam
repudiates the charge: "I committed but one trespass. Is there any
among you, and be he the most pious, who has not been guilty of more
than one?"[142]